Bottom hole drilling fluid control valve



LINGFLU'ID CONTROL VALVE INVENTORS G. S. BOUDREAUX R. A. B

G. s. BOUDREAUX ETAL FiledFb. 21, 1957 BOTTOM HdLE DRIL July 19, 1 9 0 v 4 m N o m B T 0 T .m A

. v 2 4 5 7 z k Q I \9 //4 U ni e a .v Patent 7 George S. Boudreaux and Roy A. Bobo, Houston, Tex., assignors to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware,

Filed Feb. 21, 1957, Ser. No. 641,587

9'Claims. (Cl. 255-61) This invention relates to a bottom hole drilling fluid control valve. More particularly, this invention relates to a bottom hole drilling fluid control valve used in a drilling process wherein a bore hole is drilled with an aerated drilling fluid.

In drilling wells for oil; or gas, it is sometimes; desirable to lighten a column of: drilling fluid; to prevent loss of circulation, to increase: the drilling rate, and/or to& allow. small amounts; of v oil: and" gas from the formation being drilled to enter thetdrillingfluid so that they may;befdetectied.v This lighteningof the drilling. fluid is: done; by; injecting a gas (generally air but sometimes hydrocarbon gas, or gases: resulting from combustion) into the, liquid; used as the drilling fluid. before it" is; pmnped: into the-well. One difficultyencounterediinthis type of operation occurs when initiating the gas flow, or when resuming circulation, as, for example, after making a jr'ound-trip .to 1 change 1 the bit. When the fluid containingzcompressed gas first'leaves the lower e-nd' of the drillzstring, the; gas rises andiexpandsdn the annular space; between th'eFcasihg and the drill string. Since this, annular space is-a full of d'rilling'fluid, 'the gas can cause, a violent: dischargeor blow. out" offthisfluidi at the surfaceiofytheabore hole, resulting in aloss of fluid before the flow becomes stabilized.

1 In rorder to r circumvent 1 the above-mentione d-' difliculty, it; is often desirable to, circulate non-aerateddrilling fluid to filly, up the drill: string and: the annulus; surroundingthe same,;. forexample, before pulling thestring to; replacegawornibit, so'that t-he knud inthe borehole; I

does; not blowoutor; unlo'a "as pressure is released" andgexpansionxofrthe: gasin the drilling fluid' takesplaee. Them when 1the-string is rerun; for example,- with anew bit, aeratedzdrilling fluid is .once again icirculated to dis place-:thenon-aerated heavier drilling fluid." However; while; using taerate'd drilling fluid it is 'desirable'to providea; relatively, small i opening or openings through 'the drill bit v asw compared-:with the size of the opening-used when circulating:noneaerated drilling fluid; The "provision of smaller,v openings .isaso .-.that suflicient pressure differential can, be carried; across each small opening to project the necessary impact energy to efiectively clean the hole beneath-,the-bit; 'Moreover, Whendisplacing the aerated, drilling fluid'withsnon-aerateddrilling fluid before pull ingsthe=drill s'trings fr'om the bore hole or whendisplacingthe.non-aeratedidrilling fluid with aerated drill ing fluidafter; running the drill string in the bore hole, it, is desirable-to provide a relatively large opening through :theud'rillbit' topermit rapid circulatiori in order to;saye;time:1during thedisplacing operation.

Accordingly, an ob'ject'of this invention is to provide a; bottom hole drilling fluid control valve; object, is to provide; a bottom hol'e drilling fluid control valvenfor use in drilling abore hole with anuaerated. drilling ,fluid A'further object is to provide'a'rbottorn hole drilling fluid controlvalve which will, insure of:

iicient, jetting:of the-eaerated. fluid against, the 5 bottom Lot-1 the bore hole. A still further object is to provide a A further 2,945,678 Patented 'July 19,: 1960 bottom hole drilling fluid control valve which will permit rapid circulation of drilling fluid when displacing non-aerated drilling fluid with aerated drilling fluid, or vice versa. Other objects and advantages of our in-- vention. will become apparent, to those skilled in the art, from the following discussion, appended claims, and the, single drawing which is an elevation view in partial section of a drilling tool inserted in a well bore embody ing features of our invention.

The term aerated drilling fluid or aerated mud as used in the description of this invention and in the ap pended claims is to be understood to mean a drilling fluid which contains air or other gas in compressed condition so as torender the fluid substantially less dense. The term includes all of the conventional drillingfluids, such as oil, water, mud, lime, etc, which have been aerated with air or other gas. Conversely, the term non-aerated drilling fluid or non-aerated mud" is to be understood to mean any conventional drilling fluid whichhas not been aerated with air or other gas.

Although our invention is equally applicable to any flow system where it is desired to conduct fluids having diiferent densities from a common alternatively used conduit to. difierent flow passages, it is particularly ap plicablein combination with a drill bit used during those drillingioperations wherein a bore holeis traversed. while: circulating aerated drilling fluid.

Referring now to the single drawing, a' conventional. drill string 1 is'shown depending within a well bore 2. The lower end of'drill string 11 is threadedly secured to. acollar- 3',- the-latter being, threadedly. connectedat its. lower end toa tapered portion or shank 4' of a drill bit body generally designated 5. The body 5 hassuitable depending; extensions or legs 6 which support one or. more conical drillingcones generally designated 7 ha'v-- ing=a plurality of cuttingfaces 8 comprising aplurality of cutting elements. In order to avoidia prolix showing, only one cone-is shown in the. drawing, and it is to? be understood that our invention is, applicable to anydrill-i ing-bit wherein the number .of cones may vary,-for example, from one to four. The drill stringl andthe. drill collar 3 have a commonflow passageway 9"whicli suppliesdrilling fluid under pressure from a source of supply at the-surface to the drilling bit body. 5. The drill string-1* maybe rotated; by conventional drilling equipment, such as a-rota-ry drilliugrig, and the rotarymotion istransmitted to the drill bit'body 5 whichin turn rotates the cone 7 whereby thedrilling of the bore. hole is accomplished. The drilling fluid flows. from. thedr'ill string, in a manner subsequentlyto bed'escribed, and serves to carry the resulting cuttings up through. the annulus 11 of the bore hole 2 to. the surface.

The =body5 can be provided with an interior chamber 12, the'bottom portion of which may be conicalas shown. The lower portion of body 5' is provided with one or more'jet passageways 14 the upper ends-of lwhic'h communicate with the lower tapered or conical portionof the internal chamber 12. These jet passageways 14 can be adapted to conduct a jet of drilling? fluid'inra, direction'generally tangential to the cutting ,faces. 8of; the cone 7 orwat any other desired angle. The body'5. is also provided with'a central discharge passageway 16 which is adapted to conduct a stream of drilling. ,fluid in a direction generally between a plurality of..cones.. The diameter of central .discharge passageway 16. is.

preferably larger than the diameter of jet passageway 14.

Dependingin internal chamber 12. is a hollow valve.

body generally designated 17. The latter'is. provided,

tween the adjacent faces of annular flange 18 and shank 4. The valve 17 has a first reduced portion 21 and a second smaller reduced portion 22. The former defines a flow passageway 9 which is in communication with flow passageway 9 and has generally the same crosssectional area. 'The bottom of reduced portion 21 can be provided with one or'more ports 20 to permit egress of fluid. The reduced portion 22 defines a passageway 23. The side wall of reduced portion 21 is provided intermediate its ends with one or more ports 24 and the side wall of reduced portion 22 is provided with one or more ports 26. A displaceable sleeve, generally designated 27, is inserted in flow passageway 9' and passageway 23. Sleeve 27 is provided at its upper end with an annular head portion 28, the periphery of which snugly fits the inner walls of the reduced portion 21; the adjacent faces of annular head 28 and reduced portion 21 may be provided with a suitable ring seal 29. The upward displacement of the annular head 28 is prevented by reason of one or more stops, such as set screws 30. Sleeve 27 is also provided with a stem portion 31, the lower end of which depends in passage 23. Stem portion 31 is provided with one or more ports 32 which are preferably longer than ports 26 and register therewith. Sleeve 27 is provided with an axial flow passageway 33 which communicates at its upper end with flow passageway 9 and at its lower end with central discharge passageway 16. The upper face of annular head 28 is provided with a beveled valve seat 34 adapted to seat a ball 36, the latter having a diameter substantially greater than that of flow passage 33. A second ejectable sleeve 37 is snug.- ly fit in the lower portion of the passage 23 of reduced portion 22 and is held therein by suitable releasable holding means, such, as shear pins 38. Sleeve 37, defining passageway 33, has a reduced inner portion 39 adapted to serve as a valve seat for ball 41, the diameter of the latter being slightly smaller than the cross sectional area of flow passage 33. The lower portion of sleeve 37 snugly fits in central discharge passageway 16. The adjacent portions of sleeve 37 and the walls of the drill bit body defining the passage 16 can be provided with a suitable O ring seal 42.

In operation, with the bore hole filled with non-aerated drilling fluid, the drill string 1 is run into the bore hole and the bottom hole drilling fluid control valve elements are in the position shown in the drawing, except that the balls 36, 41 are subsequently dropped into the drill string, as, described hereinafter. When the drill bit reaches the bottom of the-bore hole, aerated drilling fluid is pumped into the drill string 1 at the surface and the drilling fluid flows downward therethrough displacing the non-aerated drilling fluid in the drill string. The aerated drilling fluid is circulated from the .drill string 1 into the annulus 11 via passageways 9', 33, 33' slots 32, ports 26 and passageways 14, 16. When the non-aerated drilling fluid has been displaced, ball 41 is dropped into the drill string 1 at the surface and pumped downward through the drill string 1 with aerated drilling'fluid and it comes to seat in the lower sleeve 37. The ball 41 when it reaches the position shown in the drawing cuts off further flow of the aerated drilling fluid through central discharge passageway 16 and the bore hole is drilled with aerated drilling fluid being jetted through jet passageways 14. During the drilling operation the upper sleeve 27 remains in a first position shown in the drawing, the sleeve 27 covering the ports 24. The pressure diiferential across the drill bit, acting on the annular head 28 of the upper sleeve 27, is too small to shear pins 38. When it is desired to remove the drill string from the bore hole, for example, in order to change a drill bit, ball 36 is dropped into the upper end of drill string 1 and is pumped to the bottom where it seats on the valve seat 34 at the upper end of the sleeve 27. At this time the rotation of the drill string is discontinued and the resulting pressure diiferential across the drill bit is allowed to act on the upper face of the annular head 28, thus exerting sufiicient force to 4 shear pins 38. In so doing, the upper sleeve 27 is pushed downwardly to a second position where the upper face of the annular head 28 moves to a position below the ports 24. Lower sleeve 37 and ball 41, made preferably from drillable material, are thus pushed through the central discharge pasageway 1 6 into the bottom of the bore hole where it can be subsequently drilled and removed from the bore hole by circulating it along with drilling fluid up the annulus 11. The lower end of the upper sleeve 27 will now occupy its second position at a point below the lower reduced portion 22. The slots 32 can be so sized that they will register with the ports 26 in the lower reduced portion 22 when the sleeve 27 is in its second position. Fluid trapped in reduced portion 21 below ports 24 by annular head 28 is vented through ports to permit annular head 28 to reach its second position below ports 24. With the sleeve 27 in its lower or second position, non-aerated drilling fluid is pumped down the drill string 1 into the annulus 11 via passageway 9', ports 24, jet passageways 14, ports 26, slots 32 and the central discharge passageway 16.

When the aerated drilling fluid in the annulus 11 has 7 been completely displaced with non-aerated drilling fluid,

the drill string 1 can be pulled from the bore hole and the bit changed, etc. With a new lower sleeve in place and the replacement of shear pins 38, the drill string with its bottom hole drilling fluid control valve can again be inserted into the bore hole.

Various modifications and alterations of our invention will become apparent, to those skilled in the art, from the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing, and it is to be understood that they are merely preferred embodiments of our invention and the latter is not to be unduly limited thereto.

We claim:

1. A valve structure comprising, in combination, a body having a first fluid-conducting passageway therethrough, the latter having a first inlet and a first outlet, a displaceable sleeve disposed in said first passageway and movablewit-hin said first passageway from a first position to a second position, releasable holding means holding said sleeve in its first position, at least one second fluid-conducting passageway in said body having a second inlet and a second outlet, said second passageway adapted to communicate through said second inlet with said first passageway through a first set of ports in said body when said sleeve is in its first and second positions and through a second set of ports in said body when said sleeve is in its second position, first displaceable obturating means associated with one end of said sleeve and adapted to initially divert fiow of fluid through said body through said second outlet of said second passageway when said sleeve is in its first position, and second obturating means associated with the other end of said sleeve and adapted to obstruct flow of fluid through said sleeve, said second means adapted to release said holding means when a predetermined pressure ditferential acts upon the former, whereby said sleeve moves to its second position and fluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

2. A valve structure comprising, in combination, a body having a first fluid-conducting passageway there through, the latter having a first inlet and a first outlet, at displaceable sleeve disposed in said first passageway and moveable from a first position to a second position, releasable holding means holding said sleeve in its first position, said body having first ports registerable with corresponding ports in said sleeve when the latter is in its first position and second ports which are covered by said sleeve member when the latter is in its first position, a plurality of second fluid-conducting passageways in said body having second inlets and second outlets, said second passageways adapted to communicate through said second inlets with said first passageway through said first and second ports, first manually controlled means associated' with one end of said sleeve adapted to initially obstruct the flow of fluid through said first outlet and divert the same through said second outlets of said second passagewaysfand second manually controlled. means assented with the other end of said sleeve and adapted to obstruct the flow of fluid through said sleeve passageway, said secondmeansadapted to cause the release of said holding means when a predetermined pressure difterential acts upon the former, whereby said, sleeve moves to its secondpositionand fluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

3. V aIVe struc tur e according to claim 2, wherein said first means comprises a first ball valve adapted to seat in said first passageway at a point adjacent said first outlet to obstruct the flow of fluid therethrough, and wherein said mend-means comprises a second ball valve adapted to seat on the other end of said sleeve adjacent said first inlet to obstruct" flow of fluid therethrough.

4. A valvefstructure comprising, in combination, a body having, an internal chamber provided with a first outlet at itsflower'end," a tubular member depending in said c amp rnom' its'first inlet, a displaceable, sleeve disposed in said'tubular member and moveable from a first position to a second position, an ejectable sleeve having an upper end disposed in said tubular member adjacent the lower end of said displaceable sleeve and a lower end disposed in said first outlet, said ejectable sleeve held in said tubular member by releasable holding means, said tubular member having first ports registerable with corresponding ports in said displaceable sleeve when the latter is in its first position and second ports which are covered by the upper portion of said displaceable sleeve when the latter is in its first position, a plurality of passageways in said body having second inlets and outlets, said second inlets communicating with said chamber, first manually controlled means associated with said ejectable sleeve and adapted to initially obstruct the flow of fluid through said first outlet and divert the same through said second outlets of said passageways, and second manually controlled means associated with the upper end of said displaceable sleeve and adapted to obstruct the flow of fluid through the latter, said second means adapted to cause said holding means to release when a predetermined pressure difierential acts upon the former, whereby said displaceable sleeve moves to its second position and ejects said ejectable sleeve from said body through said first outlet, and whereby fluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

, 5. A valve structure comprising, in combination, a body having an internal chamber provided with a first outlet opening at its lower end communicating with a first fluid-conducting passageway, a tubular member depending in said chamber from its firstinlet, said member having an upper enlarged portion providing an inwardlyprojecting shoulder, a displaceable sleeve slidably disposed in said tubular member and moveable downward from a first position to a second position, the upper end of said sleeve having an enlarged annular head the lower face of which engages said shoulder to limit downward movement, an ejectable sleeve having an upper end disposed in the lower portion of said tubular member adjacent the lower end of said displaceable sleeve and a lower end disposed in said first passageway, said ejectable sleeve member held in said tubular member by the shear pins, said tubular member having first ports in its lower portion registerable with corresponding ports in said displaceable sleeve when the latter is in its first position and second ports in its upper enlarged portion through which communication can be had when said annular head is seated on said shoulder, a plurality of second passageways in said body having second inlets and second outlets, said second inlets communicating with said chamber, first manually controlled means adapted to initially construct the flow of fluid through said first outlet and divert the same through said second outlets of said second passageways, said; first means comprising a first ball valve adapted to seatin said ejectable sleeve, and second man ually controlled means adapted to obstruct the flow of fluid through said displaceable sleeve, said second means comprisirig'a second ball valve adapted to seat on the upper race of said annular head, said second means adapted; to cause said pins to shear when apredetermined pressure diflierential acts upon the former, whereby said displaceable sleeve moves to itssecond position and ejects said ejectable sleeve from said body through said firstoutlet, and wherebyfluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

6. In combination with a drill bit having a cutting head providingwith cutting elements, a valve structure associated with said drill bit, said valve structure comprising, in combination, a body having a first fluid-conducting passageway therethrough, the latter having first inlet and a first outlet adjacent said; cutting head, a displaceable sleeve disposed in said first passageway and moveable within said first passageway from a first position to a second position, releasable holding means holding said sleeve in its firstposition, at least one second fluid-conductingjetpassageway in said body-having a second inlet and a second outlet, said second passageway adapted to communicate through said second inlet with said first passageway through a first set of ports in said body when said sleeve is in its first and second positions and through a second set of ports in said body when said sleeve is in its second position, said second passageway adapted to discharge a jet of fluid through said second outlet adjacent said cutting head, first displaceable obturating means associated with one end of said sleeve and adapted to initially divert flow of fluid through said body through said second outlet of said second passageway when said sleeve is in its first position, and second obturating means associated with the other end of said sleeve and adapted to obstruct flow of fluid through said sleeve, said second means adapted to release said holding means when a predetermined pressure difierential acts upon the former, whereby said sleeve moves to its second position and fluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

7. In combination with a drill bit having a cutting head providing with cutting elements, a valve structure comprising, in combination a body having a first fluid-conducting passageway therethrough, the latter having a first inlet and a first outlet adjacent said cutting head, a displaceable sleeve disposed in said first passageway and moveable from a first position to a second position, releaseable holding means holding said sleeve in its first position, said body having first ports registerable with corresponding ports in said sleeve when the latter is in its first position and second ports which are covered by said sleeve member when the latter is in its first position, a plurality of second fluid-conducting jet passageways in said body having second inlets and second outlets, said second passageways adapted to communicate through said second inlets with said first passageway through said first and second ports, said second passageways adapted to discharge jets of fluid through said second outlets adjacent said cutting head, first manually controlled means associated with one end of said sleeve adapted to initially obstruct the flow of fluid through said first outlet and divert the same through said second outlets of said second passageways, and second manually controlled means associated with the other end of said sleeve and adapted to obstruct the flow of fluid through said sleeve, said second means adapted to cause the release of said holding means when a predetermined prmsure differential acts upon the former, whereby said sleeve moves to its second position and fluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said first means comprises a first ball valve adapted to fall by gravity and seat in said first passageway at a point adjacent said first outlet to obstruct the flow of fluid therethrough, and wherein said second means comprises a second ball valve adapted to fall by gravity and seat on the other end of said sleeve adjacent said first inlet to obstruct flow of'fluid therethrough.

9. In combination with a drill bit having a cutting head providing with cutting elements, a valve structure associated with said drill bit, said valve structure comprising, in combination, a body having an internal chamber provided with a first outlet as its lower end adjacent said cutting head, a tubular member depending in said chamber from its first inlet, a displaceable sleeve disposed in said tubular member and moveable from a first position to a second position, an ejectable sleeve having an upper end disposed in said tubular member adjacent the lower end of said displaceable sleeve and a lower end disposed in said first outlet, said ejectable sleeve held in said tubular member by releaseable holding means, said tubular member having first ports registerable with corresponding ports in said displaceable sleeve when the latter is in its first position and second ports which are 20 covered by the upper portion of said displaceable sleeve when the latter is in its first position, a plurality of jet passageways in said body having second inlets and outlets, said second inlets communicating with said chamber, said jet passageways adapted to discharge jets of fluid through said second outlets against the bottom of said bore hole, first manually controlled means associated with said ejectable sleeve and adapted to initially obstruct the flow of fluid through said first outlet and divert the same through said second outlets of said passageways, and second manually controlled means associated with the upper end of said displaceable sleeve and adapted to obstruct the flow of fluid through the latter, said second means adapted to cause said holding means to release when a predetermined pressure diiferential acts upon the former, whereby said displaceable sleeve moves to its second position and ejects said ejectable sleeve from said body through said first outlet, and whereby fluid is permitted to flow through said first and second outlets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,238,895 Gage Apr. 22, 1941 2,549,007 Ragan Apr. 17, 1951 2,638,988 Williams May 19, 1953 

